02. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)
Research Workshop
Educational Learning Labs Interventions to Empower Young People at Risk for Social Exclusion in the Baltic Countries and Norway
Terje Väljataga1, Meril Ümarik1, Vidmantas Tutlys2, Marieke Gerdien Bruin3, Biruta Sloka4
1Tallinn University, Estonia; 2Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania; 3University of Stavanger, Norway; 4University of Latvia, Latvia
Presenting Author: Tutlys, Vidmantas
This workshop is conducted in the framework of the Baltic Research Programme Project “Vocational education and workplace training enhancing social inclusion of at-risk young people” (No. LT08-2-LMT-K-01-010). The main research goal of the project is to investigate the ways in which vocational education and training (VET) can enhance social inclusion of young people at-risk, both in terms of combating school dropout and promoting transitions between various (social) learning contexts, such as school-work transition in the Baltic countries and Norway. Among others one of the research goals, which will be discussed in this workshop, is conducting “Educational Learning Lab intervention” in all partner countries, in order to pilot and evaluate innovative approaches, methods and technology-based tools for supporting both young people at risk for social exclusion to develop their key skills (vocational and personal) and teachers in VET to advance their instructional approach and practices.
The intervention study in Estonia is focused on development of competence of vocational teachers/support personnel to support emotional wellbeing of young people at risk for social exclusion. The intervention is implemented in several VET schools of Estonia. It consists of 5 contact sessions including executing of independent tasks by the teachers between the sessions. During these training sessions VET teachers and pedagogical staff members are introduced to strategies and methods to support group dynamics, collaborative codesign in the classroom, mindfulness practices.
The intervention study in Latvia seeks to strengthen the competence of vocational schools administration, vocational teachers/support personnel to support social and emotional wellbeing of young people at risk for social exclusion through findings of the EmpowerVET project and the Baltic Nordic experience and the results of the European Commission project "New European Bauhaus" to involve the risk groups in the ecosystems. The interventions in Latvia focuses on updating the competence and knowledge of the relevant staff by sharing the experience and findings of the Baltic and Nordic partners as well as improving their professional competence in special courses as well as disscussing materials in special program on TV.
The intervention study in Lithuania focuses on the development of competence of VET teachers and trainers in design and implementation of propaedeutic VET curricula (modules) for vocational integration of young people at risk for social exclusion. It seeks to raise awareness of VET teachers and trainers on the propaedeutic qualities of the VET curricula which facilitate motivation of at-risk VET students to learn and integrate themselves in the labour market, as well as to provide methodical know-how on how to design and apply propaedeutic VET curricula for training of at-risk VET students. The intervention is based on the 4 workshops for the VET teachers and trainers which is held in the 5 VET centres of Lithuania.
In Norway, the intervention is initiated by the county administration and carried out by language teachers in collaboration with supervisors in the workplace. The intervention is to provide language teacher resources to VET schools to support students with a migration background, who need additional support to learn the Norwegian language. The intervention supporting the development of students’ language and communicative competence is targeted to the apprenticeship phase, i.e. the workplace practice. Two VET schools are participating in the intervention, collaborating with a language teacher hired for intervention purposes. Each language teacher is assigned 10 students (apprentices), which they teach, guide, and supervise. Besides language and communication, and in collaboration with workplace supervisors, the teachers support the students’ cultural socialization in building bridges between the school - workplace / apprenticeship transition.
All the interventions are implemented in the period from September 2022 to April 2023.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedAll the previously described interventions follow the Educational Learning Lab model, which is based on the knowledge appropriation model (how multidisciplinary teams learn and create new practices and knowledge). The Educational Learning Lab replaces linear knowledge transmission model (research creates some new knowledge, it is then packaged into teacher training, teachers apply it in the classroom and students benefit) with co-creation to lead to sustainable, scalable and evidence-based changes (Ley et al., 2018). Furthermore, the intervention studies in four different countries are based on the theoretical concept of boundary-crossing (Engeström et. al, 1995; Akkerman & Bakker, 2011) within and between different communities of practice. This approach emphasizes the idea that boundaries are at play in many learning and work processes, being not only barriers to learning, but potentially also generative processes, involving transformation of practice (Akkerman & Bakker, 2011). Effective co-creation and boundary crossing as learning is enabled by transfer of ownership from research to practice, effective dialogues and the creation of meaningful practices (a critical prerequisite of their further adoption) (Ley et al., 2018).
In the frame of the intervention studies, methods and practices are investigated, developed and piloted as a co-creation process (take place in cooperation with researchers, vocational teachers and workplace instructors, learners etc.). As the focus is on benefitting the students of at risk of social exclusion and vocational teachers/workplace instructors, the cases for intervention are selected among schools and training places from disadvantageous social settings/regions (e.g. from regions characterized by high social security problems, criminality, low economic well-being, high rates of migrants (or second or third generation of migrants) and amongst programs targeted to learners acquiring vocational training without general education, including students with migrant backgrounds and other socially excluded groups.
All the interventions follow the same methodological design: semi-structured individual and group interviews with the intervention participants before and after the intervention are carried out. The interview questions are based (and grouped) on the knowledge appropriation model (Ley et al., 2018), which consists of three main parts: knowledge maturation, scaffolding and appropriation. The aim is to study the process of co-creation and innovation adoption in VET-university partnership (Ley et al., 2018) and compare four country cases.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsDuring the workshop, the four cases following the same theoretical and methodological approaches, will be presented and discussed focussing on the acceptance of these interventions by the VET teachers, trainers and their contribution to the capacities of the VET schools and, especially, teaching staff to empower young people at risk for social exclusion in the fields of learning and employment. Comparative analysis of these findings helps to draw recommendations for the VET policy makers, experts, VET schools and teaching staff and social partners involved. The Educational Learning Lab approach as a methodological framework will be presented and discussed from the perspective of its promises and suitability for designing intervention studies in VET.
ReferencesAkkerman, S.F., Bakker, A. (2011). Boundary Crossing and Boundary Objects. Review of Educational Research. 81(2):132-169.
Engeström, Y., Engeström, R., Kärkkäinen, M. (1995). Polycontextuality and boundary crossing in expert cognition: Learning and problem solving in complex work activities. Learning and Instruction. 5(4): 319-336.
Latvian Television - Latvia Public Media available at https://ltv.lsm.lv/lv/raidijums/klase
Ley, T., Leoste, J., Poom-Valickis, K., Rodríguez-Triana, M-J., Gillet, D., Väljataga, T. (2018). Analyzing Co-Creation in Educational Living Labs using the Knowledge Appropriation Model. CC-TEL/TACKLE@EC-TEL 2018
Professional Competence Development Programs, available at http://www.pumpurs.lv/lv/pkp_programmas
«Regulations on the necessary education and professional qualifications for pedagogues and procedures for improving the professional competence of pedagogues", Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 569, 11.09.2018 – in Latvian ““Noteikumi par pedagogiem nepieciešamo izglītību un profesionālo kvalifikāciju un pedagogu profesionālās kompetences pilnveides kārtību”, Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 569, 11.09.2018
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